English Touring Opera - The Rape of Lucretia

In ancient Rome, Lucretia is assaulted by the tyrannical prince Tarquinius, an outrage that shatters her life and sets the stage for his own downfall.

Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia was written in the aftermath of the Second World War and reflects a world wondering how to remake itself after enormous suffering and destruction. Its exquisite,score for thirteen players shows passages of beauty and lyricism wrestling with the forces of darkness. It remains a brutally relevant and chilling exploration of the abuse of power, shot through with glimmers of hope for a better world.

ETO General Director Robin Norton-Hale directs and Music Director Gerry Cornelius conducts.